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It’s a heck of a way to run a pre-election campaign. On the eve of an expected election, politicians usually spend their time playing up good news, downplaying the bad, shaking hands and kissing babies.

'Good riddance!!!!' — Lions trade Khalif Mitchell to Argonauts

Photograph by: John Ulan
, The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER — In a city that elected a hot-tempered, bird-flipping, bullheaded mayor in Rob Ford, Toronto should be primed and ready to accept the antics of another free-spirited individual in Khalif Mitchell.

On a day when the Blue Jays’ season opener dominated sports talk in Toronto and the Canucks’ trade for Derek Roy did likewise in Vancouver, the B.C. Lions sent the thoroughly original Mitchell to the Argos Tuesday for defensive lineman Adrian Awasom and a player on Toronto’s negotiation list.

“Good riddance!!!!” tweeted Lions running back Andrew Harris, an opinion that, while not universal among Mitchell’s former teammates, was at least shared by some.

“Somebody probably will say that about me when I leave, and probably it will be more than one,” chuckled Wally Buono, the Lions’ general manager. “I’ve always been very fond of Khalif, but I’m not going to say everybody feels the same. Some (players) enjoyed him. Some found him frustrating. That’s what makes him interesting. He’s not like a lot of people. He is who he is. You either love him. Or, you say, ‘good riddance.’ ”

Opinions of Mitchell, especially among the coaching staff, could be bent by his sheer talent, and they were willing to make an exception for him. But murmuring dissent by his teammates was being voiced as early as last year's training camp, when it appeared Mitchell was operating under a different set of rules.

A series of successive incidents — throat-slashing gestures on the field, an inappropriate, racially insensitive tweet, and an attempt to remove Eskimo lineman Simeon Rottier’s arm from its socket, which earned Mitchell a suspension — not only embarrassed the football club but other Lions who took pride in their professionalism. He became a lightning rod for unwanted controversy.

“If I’m a grown man, and I don’t know how to police myself, or when to shut up, especially on a social site or a public forum, then I have some issues,” said veteran Lions cornerback Dante Marsh. “I’ve done all that I can do.”

Eccentric and reckless in many respects, Mitchell can be an exceptionally good player when the spirit moves him — or when he is under the handling of a coach who knows exactly how to motivate him. Toronto defensive coordinator Chris Jones is known as a strict taskmaster who won’t tolerate an inner coach-player war going on.

For the Argos, Mitchell also fills a huge need. The Grey Cup champions lost DE Ricky Foley to Saskatchewan (free agency), DT Adriano Belli to retirement, DT Armond Armstead to the New England Patriots and released DE Ronald Flemons in the off-season. They’re woefully short of experience on the defensive line, a void that Mitchell can address.

“Toronto was interested in acquiring a quality defensive tackle after they lost Armstead to the NFL, and we were looking to shuffle the deck (on the defensive line),” Buono explained. “Khalif was the odd man out. We had the depth to do this, and Khalif needed a fresh start.”

After acquiring former Eskimo defensive end Julius Williams during free agency in February, the Lions still have eight imports on the defensive line, including the latest edition, Awasom. Among them are Keron Williams, the CFL sack leader in 2012 whom the Lions are considering moving from defensive end to an interior line position.

“Julius is a very good rush end, and we want to get Keron closer to the quarterback,” Buono said. “When you look at Eric Taylor and Khreem Smith and Jabar Westerman, we think our defensive line is a very formidable group.”

Buono said the negotiation list player the Lions received in the Mitchell trade is not a throw-in but a defensive back with some NFL experience. The Lions have been following him with interest for a couple of years and intend to have him at their upcoming free-agent camp in Atlanta.

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